By a babbling Brook

Ralph Denyer reports on London's prestigious CTS Studios and keyboardist Brian Gascoigne who recently teamed up to establish a MIDI/SMPTE-based electronic musicstudio purpose designed for the post-production of film music.

A Musical Luminary

Bill Nelson remains largely unheard of by the record-buying public, yet his influence on modern musicians has been considerable. Nigel Humberstone visits him at his home studio in Yorkshire.

och aye

Trevor Horn considered

Dom Foulsham continues his series with a guide to the ever-expanding world of sample CDs: what to look for, how to find it, and how to get the best out of the off-the-shelf loop. I know we said the series was concluding last month, but we were wrong, OK? Think of it as a bonus.

In which five of E&MM's writers pick their fave things of the year. If your personal preferences aren't there, don't take it out on us.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a professional MIDI programmer/musician? How do you get your sessions? What kind of gigs come up? What sort of problems arise? What sort of technical and musical knowledge do you need? Mike Collins spills the beans.

After calling it a day with seventies’ supergroup The Band, and an interim period spent scoring soundtracks for Martin Scorsese films, guitarist Robbie Robertson has teamed up with Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel and U2 to create an impeccable first solo outing. Mark Prendergast lends the album an appreciative ear.

IBM PC-Compatibles & Apple Macintosh

Part 1: All four of the major computers can be used for musical applications, so which one should you choose? This month, Richard Elen puts the case for the Apple Macintosh whilst Brian Heywood advocates the benefits of the IBM PC-compatible.

Helden, Laurie Anderson, Fad Gadget, The Enid

More controversy and heated discussion on the subject of blank tape levies.

if your music feels lacklustre, dabble in dance rhythms from the dark continent

England's North has consistently produced some of the most innovative electronic music. Simon Trask talks to a band set to take their place alongside New Order and Heaven 17.

A Guide to Programming Music with Soul

How often have you heard synthesized, sequenced music described as 'cold' and 'mechanical? All of us want to compose a tune with good 'feel', but few people know exactly what makes for a good 'feel'. Yet it's not a mystery - as this timely article by Michael Stewart, designer of the Kahler Human Clock, reveals.

Techno music, the true successor to late seventies synth-pop, translates the desolation of post-Motown Detroit into electronic dance rhythms. Simon Trask listens to the programmer's tale.

A subjective and selective round-up of drum machines, old and new, by Mark Jenkins.

Super-guitarist, super-producer and Superstar, Nile Rodgers must be doing something right. Our exclusive, in-depth interview with the man and his production team reveals all...

Bassist John Greaves & Drummer Pip Pyle

Is the National Health coughing up blood? Tony Bacon gets to grips with the current state of the queues and cures. Music for liver salts. The Greaves-Pyle team of whitecoats gives a semi-exclusive interview to a private patient.

Since heralding in a new musical era in 1976 with the release of his innovative synthesizer-based opus, 'Oxygene', Jean-Michel Jarre has gone on to sell almost 34 million records worldwide. Currently embarking on a new album project, as well as planning a series of concerts to welcome in the new decade, Richard Buskin visited Jarre in his home studio to talk about the technology behind his music.

Prince Paul

Already an established musical force from his work with Stetsasonic, Prince Paul has gone on to produce De La Soul's brilliant debut LP. Steven Daly talks technology and sampling ethics with a Prince.

What have David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, King Crimson, Frank Zappa and Jean-Michel Jarre got in common? They've all employed the services of Adrian Belew, one of the world's most inventive guitarists, and a man with a passion for creating new sound textures.

Responsible for establishing artists like Yazz and Lisa Stansfield, Coldcut also have a reputation for being one of the most innovative production teams around. Tim Goodyer learns about their new LP and the future of computer graphics.

Sounds, samples, & software upgrades for the modern studio

New software, systems, sounds, updates